Cory Booker: “today I wish to support the nomination of Judge Luis F. Restrepo, the President's nominee for appointment on the U.S.…”

“today I wish to support the nomination of Judge Luis F. Restrepo, the President's nominee for appointment on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Filling a vacancy on the third circuit is important to New Jerseyans. Because only a handful of cases each year reach the Supreme Court, circuit courts often have the final word in the vast majority of Federal cases. That means, for most of my constituents who bring cases in Federal courts, the buck stops with the third circuit. The third circuit currently has two judicial vacancies. The vacant seat that President nominated Judge Restrepo to fill has been declared a judicial emergency. That means it has a very heavy caseload. In fact the third circuit has more than 900 weighted filings per judgeship. Filling a vacancy on that important Federal appellate court will lower the caseload burden and ensure access to justice for more Americans. Judge Restrepo is a well-qualified individual. There is no question about that. He has over 10 years of experience on the Federal bench. In fact the Senate unanimously confirmed him to serve as a Federal district judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Prior to that, he served as a Federal magistrate judge. As a member of the Federal bench, he has presided over 56 trials that have gone to verdict or judgement. He has a wealth of experience in both public service and private practice.…”